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General information about the higher education system in the country

Overview of the Educational System:

The university network is composed of 112 HEI (54 universities, 9 University Centers, 37 National Higher Schools and 12 Higher Normal Schools) in 2023. To date, the Algerian higher education system features more than 1.8 million students, out of whom about 500,000 are pursuing a Master’s degree and about 65,000 are registered as doctoral candidates, 65% of whom are women, for a total of 68,000 teaching staff. Algerian universities are public institutions and scientific, cultural and professional bodies, endowed with corporate status and financial autonomy. They are composed of governing bodies (board of directors, scientific council), a dean, faculties, institutes and annexes; common administrative and technical departments. Like all other countries, Algeria has been confronted with the challenge of the globalization of the university educational system, which has favoured the introduction of the BMD system (Bachelor Master Doctorate). This reform has led to a major overhaul of curricula and to new pedagogical practices. Maximising opportunities and opening up to the internationalstage has been the main reason for choosing BMD. That is why, in 2004, Algeria moved from the former system (4-year Licence, 2-year Magister, 3-4-year Doctorat) to the BMD (3-year Bachelor, 2-year Master and 3-year Doctorate). Law No. 99-05 of 18 Dhou El Hidja 1419 of 4 April 1999, amended and supplemented, providing for a higher education orientation law, allocated these three degrees of higher education, except for studies in medical sciences (medicine, pharmacy and dentistry), architecture, veterinary sciences and agronomic sciences, which are still taught according to the previous educational system. Algerian universities have implemented a reform aiming at integrating the Bologna process standards: 3 years of study for the bachelor’s degree and 2 years for the master’s degree. Since the introduction of the three-cycle degree system in 2004, universities have awarded a bachelor’s degree for having achieved 180 credits (first cycle), a master’s degree for having achieved 120 additional credits (the second cycle) and, following a course of study, a doctorate (third cycle). Bachelor's or master’s degree can take two different forms: “academic” or “applied”, i.e. specialised or technical. In parallel to the Bologna process system, there are other scales of classification for qualifications in Algeria, as it is the case of the so-called “single cycle” or “long” qualifications, which last five to seven years, such as medical studies.

Governing Bodies of Higher Education:

State policy in the field of higher education is implemented by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He develops the national curriculum for higher education and scientific research, in accordance with the laws and regulations in force, and schedules, coordinates and evaluates higher education. In addition, the pedagogic supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is granted to both higher education institutions in other ministries and private higher education institutions. To carry out its mission, the Minister of Higher Education relies on a number of advisory bodies. Thematic Structuring of Scientific Research in Algeria: 7 major domains, 25 domains, and 228 sub-domains, 1440 research laboratories and 23 research centres. The analysis shows that the percentage of doctoral students in research laboratories amounts to 35% across the whole spectrum. At research level, it is relevant to say that there are two principal types of categories: sector-specific research and strategic national research.

• Laboratories: they are directly dependent on the sector or establishment and fit within the framework of the establishment project and the sector policy. (Funding will be provided by the DGRSDT in the form of a call for projects according to the define goals. The authorising officer is the head of establishment through the deans).

• National or Excellence laboratories: they will be associated with permanent research structures and will have a label of excellence; they depend directly on a research centre of attachment (CNRS type in France or National Lab in USA), mobility of researchers and support staff, the director of the laboratory is authorising officer.

Internationalisation of Higher Education:

The internationalisation of higher education is considered a very important point by university officials. The international development strategy aims at:

• Increasing the number of national students and academic staff studying abroad,

• Increasing the quota of foreign students and academic staff in the establishment.

Information on recent policy updates, major reforms and related news

The strategic objectives of the sector aim to anchor the university in the paradigms of:

- The consolidation of university governance by updating the legislative and regulatory framework that sets out the provisions applicable to the service of higher education (orientation law, status of academic institutions, status of teacher-researchers).

- The revision of the training map and the strengthening of the centres of excellence.

- The application of the principles and rules of university governance through the triptych of optimization, rationalization and pooling of resources by pursuing the gradual decentralization of management actions.

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- Strengthening the implementation of quality assurance through the creation of an Algerian quality assurance agency.

- The involvement of the sector in socio-economic development through the institutionalization of the university-business relationship and through the integration of the social and societal responsibilities of universities participating in the creation of wealth and thus supporting the sustainable development of the country.

- The rehabilitation of ethics, deontology and scientific values by strengthening the normative framework, scientific rigour and the valorization of knowledge.

- The revitalization of scientific research and technological development.

- The development of digital technology in all its dimensions. Refocusing international cooperation.

- The animation of student life and the reorganization of university works.

Three main sets of challenges thus structure the objectives of the government's action plan in the field of higher education and scientific research: that of quality in the fields of higher education, scientific research, innovation and governance, that of the employability and professional integration of graduates and, finally that of taking charge of the social and societal mission of university institutions as operators of the local and global socio-economic development.

In order to achieve these objectives, the Ministry of Higher Education and Research will work to implement the following areas, which are broken down into measures:

• Improving the quality of university education

• Improving the quality of scientific research

• Exploiting the potential of supervision and research

• The improvement of University Governance and its modernization

• The moralization of university life

Information about relevant projects and initiatives

Relevant links

• National Erasmus+ Office Algeria 
• Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research